Big River Interview with Parkway South standout Sarah Haskins
This summer will be marked with the thrill and pageantry of the Olympic Games in Beijing, China. Thousands of the best athletes in the world will gather in one place at one time to showcase themselves, their sports and most importantly their countries. If all goes well this Sunday one of those athletes will be native St. Louisan Sarah Haskins, a Parkway South grad, a former Missouri State cross country champ and one of the best triathletes in the world. Big River caught up with Haskins as she packed for a trip to Des Moines, Iowa where her Olympic fate will be determined at the Hy-Vee Triathlon this weekend.
BR: First things first, what is the final decision for the race? [Ed. note: Due to the major flooding in Iowa there was talk that the race may have had to be canceled or switched to a duathlon, thus cutting out the swim]
SH: There is definitely going to be a swim. I just found out today.
BR: Growing up when did you first start thinking about becoming a triathlete?
SH: It started right when I graduated from college. I had such a big background in swimming and running and I had just finished collegiate running and wanted to continue competing. Pretty early on someone mentioned to me that the USOC had a resident program at the Olympic Training Center. My swim times and run times qualified me for the program and so I moved out here [to Colorado Springs] in 2004. I had just done my first triathlon the year before.
BR: Let's talk a little bit about that big background in swimming and running. What were some of your accomplishments as a young athlete?
SH: In high school I swam for the Parkway Swim Club. I swam the mile and the 1000 free[style]. I didn't actually swim for Parkway South until my senior year. I was a distance swimmer and they don't have those events at the high school level. At State my senior year I swam the 500 free and the 100 fly at State. I also swam on the 200 medley relay and we actually won State. I ran cross country and track all throughout high school and actually won State [in cross country] my junior year which I guess was my biggest accomplishment.
BR: You chose to run in college at the University of Tulsa. Give us some of your accomplishments as a collegiate runner.
SH: Well I think my 10k pr ended up being 35:15 and my 5k was, I think, 17:06.
BR: Did you swim much while you were there?
SH: I didn't really swim that much. My freshman year I didn't really swim at all. Then my sophomore and junior year I started swimming a couple of times a week just for 30 minutes just as a type of cross training. My senior year I didn't get to swim though because they were re-doing the pool.
BR: Switching gears back to the present, what is your biggest strength as a triathlete?
SH: Well, compared to the rest of the world Americans are typically very strong swimmers. I would say swimming is my strength. My cycling is coming around. My running is probably what I could work on the most. The best triathletes in the world are very good on the run. There is a woman from Australia who has run 33 minutes off the bike. Right now I can run 35 low off the bike. Of course it is hard to judge times in the triathlon because you never know about the course, if the distance was right or how hilly it was.
BR: Well that brings us to this weekend. The United States selects its triathlon team a little different then some of its other sports. Rather than a one-shot-only Olympic Trials format like we see in track and field and in swimming triathlon uses a three race system. The winners of the first two races are automatically in with the third selection to be determined by a cumulative score from all three. Did I get that right and where does that leave you for this weekend?
SH: Yeah, that's pretty much it. I'm in a pretty good position really. What they do is take your best score for two of the three races. The girl closest to me [Sarah Groff] has a fifth and a third. The best she could do is tie me with a win. Then she would make it because this race serves as the tiebreaker.
BR: Does the fact that you are in the driver's seat affect your mindset for this race? Do you you focus on on Groff or do you just focus on yourself and your race?
SH: I'm going to go out there and race as hard as I can. I do my best when I know I'm going to go out there and work hard.
BR: You also happen to be coming off a fantastic race at the ITU World Championships in Vancouver, Canada where you finished a close second. What were your thoughts on that performance?
SH: It was my best finish ever at Worlds. I was happy to get a podium spot at a World Cup. I just got outsprinted at the end so that gives me a goal for the future. [Ed. note: Check out a video of Sarah's World Championship performance HERE (click Elite women)]
BR: Finally, and not to look too far ahead, but let's talk about the Olympics for just a second. What would going to the Games mean to you?
SH: It's been a dream of mine since I was little. I can remember watching the Summer Olympics on TV, all of the events.I knew early on that I didn't have the talent in swimming or running. In the triathlon I've been able to make a lifelong dream come true. It would definitely be a pretty great accomplishment to represent my country. I am having trouble even imagining it right now. I guess it might sink in after it happens.
Thanks a lot for a great interview Sarah and best of luck this weekend and of course at the Olympics if all goes well. St. Louis will be pulling for you!